Irish Foods - The Staples

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Most of the time, our thoughts of foods for St. Partick's Day or any day we are feeling Irish roots tend to Corned Beef. It is still a key Irish food. In fact, making your own brisket, instead of purchasing a mass produced one, from uniquely flavorful meats is an easy and wonderful idea. See our helpful recipes HERE for Corned meats.

There are other Irish staples that we want you to have available:

Bangers and Mash: Often thought of as a British staple, Bangers and Mash is also considered an Irish staple. Called bangers because ingredients in post WW2 sausages caused them to pop and crack when cooked, these sausages are combined with mashed potatoes and served alongside homemade gravy. 

• 1 pound mashed Potatoes ( you know the drill )
• 2 cups chopped or shredded cabbage
• 2 1/2 cups onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 links pork sausage
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add cabbage and 1/2 cup onion and sauté until soft but not brown. Remove from heat and reserve.
2. After making mashed potatoes using milk and butter while mashing, fold in the cooked cabbage and onions. Season to taste.
3. Fry sausage in another skillet over medium-high heat, until browned. Remove the sausage from the pan.
4. In the pan juices, sauté 2 cups chopped onion until lightly browned. Add beef broth, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Thicken with cornstarch.
5. Place one scoop of potatoes in the center of a serving plate, top with two sausages, and cover with gravy.

Irish Breakfast. Most people know that a calorific 'Full Irish' breakfast should really only be eaten on rare occasions! What distinguishes an Irish Breakfast from a full British breakfast is the inclusion of black and/or white pudding. A full Irish is usually served at breakfast time, but it is also popular at other times of the day, sometimes to replace lunch. Rarely is it served every day of the week, saved instead for the weekend to enjoy on a lazy Saturday or Sunday, or while on vacation in hotels and bed and breakfasts where no stay would be complete without one.

What is included in a full Irish breakfast:

• Bacon slices – in Ireland, they are called rashers. Now this is not your typical American streaky bacon. In Ireland, you will get large slices of back bacon (quite thick also in comparison with the American type).
• Fried eggs – No cooked or scrambled eggs. They must be fried!
• Baked beans – Another must-have on your full Irish breakfast plate.
• Mushrooms – They are not mandatory but if you can, use them.
• Tomatoes – They are briefly fried in a skillet/frying pan.
• Hash browns – another filling and tasty part of traditional Irish breakfast. These days you buy them usually in the frozen section of any supermarket. In the old days, people would serve fried potatoes or potato farls instead.
• Black and / or White pudding – This is a must try when in Ireland! White pudding (made from pork fat) is also a popular Irish breakfast item.